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Halloween (US - DVD R1)

Gabe reviews a favourite, and hopes none of you will be fooled by this release

Feature

After brutally murdering his sister fifteen years ago, Michael Myers has returned to his home town of Haddonfield. It's Halloween night and Michael is hungry for the blood of the town's teenagers, left alone to watch over the children. But he hasn't come to Haddonfield alone; his former psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, is hot on his trail and determined to stop him.

So Anchor Bay studios is releasing Halloween... again. Optimists might say that this isn’t the fifth time the Bay has released the seminal horror classic, but the first time new parent company Starz has released the film. Sure, that’s it. But why release the film now to an already saturated and slowly declining DVD market? The 30th anniversary is still a year away, and there are plenty of other Anchor Bay titles that haven’t seen half a dozen releases already. John Carpenter hasn’t died, and neither has Jamie Lee Curtis. What could it be?

Oh yeah, Rob Zombie’s ill-advised (but not yet proven worthless) remake/reimagining/retelling/rebooting/re-whatever. There’s the angle. I knew it was there somewhere.

So then, money grubbing corporations aside, why don’t you own one of the many copies of Halloween already available? Is it because you don’t like expertly crafted, taught and streamlined stories? Perhaps you disapprove of solid acting in a genre piece. Maybe you have something against John Carpenter’s elegant use of the widescreen frame. Or could it be you just don’t like movies?

I kid, but only slightly. Halloween really is one of the most important films of the last half century. It’s been consistently carbon copied and studied by a varying troop of filmmakers young and old. It’s been a consistent subject of homage and worship for nearly three decades. It birthed a genre (with a little help from Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Tobe Hooper, and Bob Clark), a genre that has suddenly become again relevant and topical. It stood as the most successful independently produced movie until the release of Pulp Fiction (or The Blair Witch Project, depending on who’s story you read), and was instrumental in the success of Independent films in the post- Jaws era.

Video

I've got to say this is a nice new slipcover. It features the original poster image, with a shiny rainbow hologram knife, title, and pumpkin face. The image itself is also raised. I wonder what's beneath this cardboard shell. Why, it’s the original 1999 Anchor Bay release! Right down to the packaging! How about that?

The video quality is identical to the original 1999 THX release because this is the exact same disc. In 2005 Anchor Bay released a 25th anniversary version under their quickly defunct 'Divimax' series. The 2005 release was hated by some fans because of its colour correction, which was made without input from Dean Cundey. This release, the 1999 version, was supervised by Cundey, but is a lot dirtier, and somewhat darker. I personally can't decide which transfer I prefer, because I actually kind of like the bluish tint on the 2005 release. Halloween is also one of the few movies of the era that works when cleaned to modern crispness (sometimes too much digital cleansing actually hurts a gritty horror flick, but Halloween is slicker than most).

And because this is a re-release of the '99 release, people who hate movies can also watch Halloween is full-screen mode. In this mode the viewer can wonder with wild abandon as to why the music has suddenly become scary when they don't see Michael Myers enter stage right.

Audio

The quality of video between the '99 and '05 releases is very much up for debate, the audio comparison is not. Those that want to see Halloween in 5.1 surround sound will find little contest, the 25th anniversary release is a much better in terms of fidelity and structure. This disc was remixed by Chance Digital when 5.1 remixes were still something new, and it uses a whole bunch of additional sound effects to fill the channels. It sounds artificial, and I don't last very long before I'm switching over to the original Mono track.

In the disc's defence, the soundtrack is very clean, and both the remixed and Mono tracks feature crisp versions of Carpenter's impossibly ingenious electronic score. In 1999, this really was Halloween as we'd never heard it before, and at the time we were thankful for a version of the film in widescreen, with a digital soundtrack.

Extras

Remember that awesome commentary on the 25th anniversary release (which may have been the same as the Criterion laserdisc, I can't remember)? Well it's not here. Remember the extra scenes for the TV version that adorned the limited edition '99 release? They aren't here either. But fear not, there are plenty of trailers, TV spots, radio spots, still galleries, and bios to hold you over.

In all fairness, the original documentary ‘Halloween Unmasked 2000’ is here, and it's not too bad, it's just not as good as ‘Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest’ or ‘Halloween: 25 Years of Terror’. This older doc isn't very long, but it covers all the bases: inception, pre-production, casting, filming, release, etc. All the important and guilty parties are rounded up for their anecdotes, and they all seem more than happy to share. Outdated but pretty good.

Overall

If you don't own the film on DVD at all, this is an okay release. If you got rid of your '99 release when the '05 release came out and regret your decision in the face of all that blue, here's your chance to get it back (though I see it used all the time). Everyone else, don't be fooled by the slipcover. There's no mistaking the absolute classic status of the film itself, and you all really should own a copy, but Starz/Anchor Bay's underhandedness is a major deterrent. Seriously, if you're going to re-release a DVD to cash in on a theatrical release at least release the most recent version.

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Whew, I almost picked this up thinking it was a newly restored cut. The original negatives for Halloween were found so I'll be expecting a remastered version in a couple years. For now, I'm happy with my 25th Anniversary edition.

Just a quick heads up that if you get the DVD at Best Buy it comes with a ticket to Zombie's Halloween, I was going to hold off getting any of the Halloween films until the inevitable box set but the movie ticket combined with the $9.99 price tag sold me.

Good review Gabe. I saw it and had to turn it off at about the 15-minute point; all the blood got to me. For all the haters of the upcoming remake of Halloween, just give the movie a chance. It doesn't open until August 31st!

Goon wrote: From all press releases I have recieved for this film they clearly pointed out that this is simply a re-release.. If people don't report that its not Anchor Bays fault.

How can you blame them for wanting to make some money? Its really good timing to put out the film again and get it on the new release shelves for people to see. Most Horror fans already own this flick yes.. but not everyone has it. Mainly the mainstream audience. Not cinephiles or horror fans we all own multiple copies..

We can't assume that everyone reads DVD press releases, and the disc itself is hidden under a new shell. How pissed off would you be if you plunked down $15 assuming you were getting a new release only to get it home and remove the sleeve? It's underhanded to re-release the same disc with nothing but a slip cover to tell the difference. Anchor Bay is depending on the fact that Joe Public and Joe Halloween Fan won't be able to tell the difference. I don't like it.

George Wright wrote: My advice for the people who don't own this film? Wait, for either a better edition or wait for the HD-DVD or BlueRay release. Trust me, their on there way. Anchor Bay announced a short while back that they will only be releasing titles on Blu-ray, and Halloween, Evil Dead II, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead are all coming out on October 2nd. They've yet to release specs on the discs, but expect something shortly.

This is one of my all time favorite slasher films. I can't figure out why Carpenter has sold out. His excuse is that everyone is doing remakes, so why not?! That is bulls**t. Sadly, Carpenter's remakes are the worst ones out there. I hear that The Fog remake is used to torture AlQuadea prisoners.

I won't be plunking down the money for this c**ppy release to "Halloween". I already own the limited release & the 25th anniversary editions.

My advice for the people who don't own this film? Wait, for either a better edition or wait for the HD-DVD or BlueRay release. Trust me, their on there way.

I told Rob Zombie, on his MySpace Halloween page, he better not fack up this particular remake. This was way back, 2 days after the page was up and running, but I have a feeling somebody out there is already making a noose for him. The line for the lynch mob starts behind me. "Rob Zombie's Hallowenis" gets ejaculated into theaters at the end of August. Yes, August.

Matt wrote: Fake Shemp wrote: Not that I really need another version of it, but I wonder if Starz/AB can keep themselves from chugging out re-releases of discs already in existence long enough to get the rights back from Universal and release a "Book of the Dead" version of "Army of Darkness", maybe this time with a properly matted frame of the print. Prognosis = Doubtful.

I don't think Universal is going to let the property go again now knowing full well what its status is as a cult classic. I honestly don't think they knew what they had when they licensed it to Anchor Bay to begin with, and these days Anchor Bay doesn't seem too interested in acquiring too many licenses, especially one that'd probably be plenty pricey coming from a major studio.

Oh well, I'm happy with my Boomstick Edition.

Eh, well a man can dream, can't he? The shelf just looks a little bare where that BOTD edition of AOD should be...

All the others cry out for it, the 2 limited U.S. releases, the 2 limited Canadian releases, the Boomstick edition, the HD-DVD, they all but yell, "JOIN US!"

I don't know why people dislike the 1999 THX edition, it's anamorphic, has the original mono and a fair share of extras. To point what Gabe said, the video should've looked better than the THX moniker dubbed it as, but I thought the remastered 5.1 audio had great range and didn't sound artificial to me.

But I refuse to buy the Divimax 2-disc edition (although it does feature a cleaner picture and the Criterion LD commentary), mainly because of the non-approved color correction.

Fake Shemp wrote: Not that I really need another version of it, but I wonder if Starz/AB can keep themselves from chugging out re-releases of discs already in existence long enough to get the rights back from Universal and release a "Book of the Dead" version of "Army of Darkness", maybe this time with a properly matted frame of the print. Prognosis = Doubtful.

I don't think Universal is going to let the property go again now knowing full well what its status is as a cult classic. I honestly don't think they knew what they had when they licensed it to Anchor Bay to begin with, and these days Anchor Bay doesn't seem too interested in acquiring too many licenses, especially one that'd probably be plenty pricey coming from a major studio.

I replaced my 1999 Limited Edition release with the 2003 (not 2005) 25th Anniversary 2-disc sight unseen and I was a little disappointed by the colour correction. Not anywhere near enough to really hurt my enjoyment of the movie, but at the same time, if this is cheap (and I'm assuming it it, because it's the single disc release that's still readily available), I might be willing to pick this up too, just to have a true visual presentation.

Either way, I can't wait till August 31st when I'll be sitting on my couch watching Carpenter's classic instead of paying to see Zombie's rejigging.

Not that I really need another version of it, but I wonder if Starz/AB can keep themselves from chugging out re-releases of discs already in existence long enough to get the rights back from Universal and release a "Book of the Dead" version of "Army of Darkness", maybe this time with a properly matted frame of the print.

Goon wrote: From all press releases I have recieved for this film they clearly pointed out that this is simply a re-release.. If people don't report that its not Anchor Bays fault. Here's the problem though--the '99 version is still readily available at most retailers, but AB is sticking a new, spiffy slipcase on this release and are listing it as a new release. Technically it is since the outer packaging is different so it will get front shelf space upon release, but the actual case and contents of the disc are the same as the '99 version. The whole release is just a marketing ploy, and I hope that anyone that already owns the '99 version doesn't make the mistake of picking this disc up. It's a bit shady and deceptive, and even AB's public website is listing it as a new release when in reality it isn't.

I have the Divimax Two-Disc Special Edition, its a really good release. I also have Universal's release of "Halloween II" and Dimensions' "Halloween: H20", those are the only halloween films i have seen and will ever see. the first one is a classic, incredible.

From all press releases I have recieved for this film they clearly pointed out that this is simply a re-release.. If people don't report that its not Anchor Bays fault.

How can you blame them for wanting to make some money? Its really good timing to put out the film again and get it on the new release shelves for people to see. Most Horror fans already own this flick yes.. but not everyone has it. Mainly the mainstream audience. Not cinephiles or horror fans we all own multiple copies..

Gabe Powers wrote: And because this is a re-release of the '99 release, people who hate movies can also watch Halloween in full-screen mode. In this mode the viewer can wonder with wild abandon as to why the music has suddenly become scary when they don't see Michael Myers enter stage right.

That cracked me up... does that really happen? Man...

I work in a CD/DVD store and I'm so very tired of explaining to idiots why full screen is so horribly wrong. It should be abolished.

Then again so should the wonderful "widescreen" version of Evil Dead that Anchor Bay also put out.

So I guess this is more of a liquidation of old stock more than anything then...lucky for them there's a new movie coming out so they can move these discs somehow. Already own the two-disc Limited Edition and the 25th Anniversary release, but I wonder which edition they'll be bringing out on Blu-ray this fall? I'd planned on getting it on the new format (that music should sound sweet uncompressed), but will definitley hold off if it's this version and not identical (though a few new extras wouldn't hurt) to the 25th Anniversary set. Lord knows with the frequency at which AB re-issues stuff that they'll put the a Blu-ray version identical to the 25th Anniversary version out soon otherwise.

I already have three releases of Halloween from Anchor Bay so far, so i don't think i'll be getting this.

I agree, Chris, that Halloween isn't scary, however, it more than makes up for that with atmosphere. Btw, a Special Edition release of Prince of Darkness would be really cool. While you're at it, throw in one for They Live and Starman as well! My favorite Carpenter film has always been In The Mouth of Madness though so i guess i should be hoping to get a better version of that first.

That's lame. I can't remember which release I have. I think it's the limited Anchor Bay release with the holographic cover. I remember both the widescreen and the P&S version, but not sure if it has the extra scenes you mentioned. Problem is - and this also applies to The Fog - I don't really find the film scary. I found both The Thing and Prince of Darkness more unsettling.